text: The Essential PH-1 was one of the devices I really wanted to love last year, but it fell flat at launch leading to massive price cuts and a lot of updates to try and fix the issues. Now, it’s a pretty solid device.
  Lately, the company’s outlook has taken a turn for the worse with reports of the company being in trouble and considering sale. Despite that, though, Essential is sticking to its guns when it comes to updates.
  The best gifts for Android users
  Way back at launch, Essential made it clear that they wanted to do a lot with the PH-1 when it came to updates. The company said right off the bat that it would support the device through 2 years of major software updates as well as 3 years of security updates.
  So far, Essential has been a golden child in the Android world when it comes to monthly updates, often rolling out within a day or two of Google. Major updates have been slower, but that will likely only get better with things like Project Treble.
  However, the potential issue with all of that is that Essential might not be around to live up to that promise. The company didn’t manage to sell many phones, and in recent weeks there have been reports that the company might shut down or be sold.
  While CEO Andy Rubin says Essential isn’t going under, a sale is still very possible. Thankfully, the company is still committed, at least for the time being, to this same update policy, and that’s great to see.
  2 years of software updates and 3 years of security patches. — Essential (@essential) May 25, 2018
  9to5Google’s Take
  Essential was the company I was rooting for in 2018, so I’m still thoroughly disappointed to hear any reports that its second smartphone is being scrapped. Hopefully, the company can still manage to bring something to the table this year, mainly because we need more devices that live up to Google’s updates for Android.
  Of course, Essential’s promise could totally change if it ends up being sold to another company. Citing the example of Motorola, going under another roof sometimes ends with some huge changes in priorities, and updates can end up first on the chopping block.
  What do you think? Will Essential live up to its promise with the PH-1 and any future devices? Drop a comment below and let us know!
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